Meiosis is the process of cell division that produces two identical diploid cells, and consists of four stages.
The first stage is called prophase, where the chromosomes condense and cross over to form bivalents. The nuclear envelope also starts to break down and the spindle fibres start to form. The second stage is called metaphase, where the bivalents are lined up by the spindle fibres along the equator. The third stage is called anaphase, where the spindle fibres contract, pulling sister chromatids to opposite ends of the cell away from the equator. The final stage is called telophase, where the spindle fibre breaks down, and nuclear envelopes form around each set of DNA, ready for the cell to be split in two during cytokinesis